“Innovation for our Environment:” Sustainability Week at Marist

Oct. 21 through 24 at Marist College was Marist’s 13th annual Campus Sustainability Week. 

The event functions to bring attention to environmental issues on and off campus. Sustainability Week is part of the Academic Affairs Lecture Series, also made possible by the School of Science, the Student Programming Council, and Campus Ministry. 

This year’s theme was “Innovation for Our Environment.” Keynote speaker Frances Moore Lappé’ began the week with her lecture, "Innovation for Our Environment: Finding Hope Through Democratic Action.” Some Lappé’s experience in this field includes her work on 19 books concerning environmental issues and democracy, most notably her Diet for a Small Planet, which sold over 3 million copies. The rest of the week was filled with various presentations and activities. 

The Earth Ally Program on Monday instructed students and staff on environmental and sustainability issues. Interested participants could attend other related events and complete an iLearn-based training program to become a certified Earth Ally.

Guided walks of Fern Tor, Marist’s multi-acre natural reserve, were available to everyone Wednesday morning. That evening, Environmental Science students shared their fascinating research that they conducted over the summer by means prestigious grants. Students and staff were able to attend and learn more about the students’ conclusions, how to conduct research, and how to apply for their own research grants.

The Student Center third floor lobby was packed with various activities for all students and staff to participate. Attendees could learn to bind books using recycled paper, learn about repurposing from a workshop by the Ethical Fashion Initiative, and interact with representatives from the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, Earth Ally program, Fair Trade, Marist Compost, Ride Share NY, and register to vote with Marist Votes registration drive.

On the final day, Marist Compost held a showing of the film Dive, as well as a composting workshop about food waste and how to be a more sustainable consumer. 

North End Dining furthered food waste education by hosting quite a unique and exciting event called Sustainability Mystery Basket Chef Challenge, which imitates Food Network’s Chopped series. Like the show, Marist chefs are presented with a basket of mystery ingredients from which they must make a new and creative dish. However, the Marist baskets were filled with leftover food for the chefs to repurpose! 

Sustainability Week gained school wide attention from students and professors, and educated a great deal of people about wastefulness and sustainability at both Marist and in our global communities.